University of Miami School of Law student Jake Granese recently won second place in the Mendes Hershman Student Writing Contest, a prestigious national competition sponsored by the American Bar Association Business Law Section. Granese's paper, titled “West Flagler and the Future of Sports Betting: Navigating Tribal Sovereignty and the Need for Consumer Protection in a Growing Market,” examines the legal complexities of online sports betting.
A third-year law student and staff editor for the University of Miami's Business Law Review, Granese drew inspiration from his passion for sports. "I am a huge sports fan and have been my entire life," Granese said. "It was huge news in the Florida sports world when the Hard Rock app launched in November 2021, but it was shut down after a quick 34 days."
The case involved the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that any bet processed through servers on tribal land could be legally considered within tribal jurisdiction. This specific legal argument captivated Granese. "I followed the case closely over the next few years, and the Hard Rock’s argument—that online betting was considered on 'tribal land' if the internet servers were located there—greatly intrigued me," he explained. "I recognized that this argument had not succeeded anywhere else, and if it worked, it had the potential to completely reshape online betting in the United States."
The Mendes Hershman contest, named after the distinguished former Business Law Section Chair, judges papers on research, analysis, originality, and contribution to the topic's existing literature. Granese's hard work paid off. "What an honor," he said. "It felt great to see all the time and energy I put into the piece pay off. Honestly, I was a little surprised too. I know many talented writers submit papers."
He also felt a sense of pride in continuing a legacy of success for his school. "Other University of Miami students have won in the past, so it also felt nice to follow in those footsteps," he said. "It motivates me to keep writing and pushing myself to engage with challenging legal issues." As a result of his achievement, an abstract of his paper was published in Business Law Today— the premier digital platform of the ABA Business Law Section where all content is peer-reviewed by leading practitioners to deliver trustworthy insight on the issues most critical to business lawyers.
In addition to his writing success, Granese is a member of the First-Generation Law Association and served as a legal intern for the Florida Office of the Attorney General through the HOPE Fellows Program.
Granese, who earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, was drawn to the University of Miami for its reputation and practical approach. "I chose to study law at the University of Miami because of its strong reputation and focus on hands-on, practical experiences," he said. "Miami’s location was also appealing; I was born and raised in Tampa, and I wanted to stay in the state. As a major city, Miami offers so much, including a diverse legal market and access to a wide range of practice areas and professional opportunities. It has been an amazing experience."
After graduating in May 2026, Granese plans to take The Florida Bar exam and return to Banker Lopez Gassler in Tampa, where he worked previously as a summer associate, as a full-time associate in their Construction Group.
"The experiences gained during my time at Miami Law have been incredibly valuable, and I’m excited to take the next step and put everything I’ve learned into practice.”
Read more about Miami Law’s business law area of study.
